Of Princesses and Lightning Bolts
by alias093001
Summary: Saved from the Dursleys' on his fourth birthday, Harry goes to live with his half-sister. But, what's life like for the Boy-who-Lived when he's being raised by Severus Snape? Long-lost family; impersonation; dark magic; well, it certainly isn't dull.
1. Off to the Ministry

**Chapter 1: Off to the Ministry**

It had been forty-eight hours since one and a half year-old Harry Potter gained the lightning bolt scar that made him the Boy-who-Lived. Prior to forty-eight hours ago, no one survived the Killing Curse and Lord Voldemort was still alive. Now, on November 2, 1981, the Wizarding World was still celebrating the infant's unexpected success. Children were told of the boy's triumph; of the heroic accomplishment that saved the future generation of children from the terror that plagued the Wizarding World: Lord Voldemort.

Only one little girl was not given the opportunity to query her father about what happened. Apollonia Snape was shuttled off to spend a few days with a friend of her father's—a friend he knew had nothing to do with Voldemort's followers—Andromeda Tonks while he went off to speak with Dumbledore about what happened. For Severus Snape, Voldemort's destruction meant a lot of things. The Ministry planned on rounding up all known Death Eaters, including Severus. No one knew that Severus Snape played turncoat once the prophecy became known. It had been around that time in which Apollonia was conceived, a few days after her brother. And, in order to continue raising his little girl—Lily's daughter—Severus needed to turn himself in and deal with this imminently.

Dealing with the Ministry would be an issue in and of itself. He had just recently taken over the post as Potions Master from his own teacher, Horace Slughorn, a few months ago. Initially, Severus wanted the Defense post; Dumbledore refused, instead suggesting that he become the Potions Master. Now that seemed like a mistake; it was a well-known fact that when Professor Merrythought retired some forty years ago, Voldemort—or Tom Riddle—asked to fill the post. The refusal invoked Voldemort's anger and he cursed the position so that no teacher other than him would last longer than a year. And, it was true; throughout Severus's own years at Hogwarts, there were at least seven teachers. If Severus was getting taken in by the Ministry regarding suspected Death Eater activities, it might have been better if he took the Defense post instead of Slughorn's old job.

And, Apollonia; how could Severus even consider raising his little girl if he was forcibly brought to Azkaban? His daughter was the only reason he was doing this; so that the Ministry would have no qualms about allowing Severus to raise his daughter, turning himself in was the only option. Severus apparated to the gates of Hogwarts and made his way up to the school. Before he went to the Ministry, the Potions Master needed to have a talk with Albus. It had not really been discussed in-depth, but the young savior was his daughter's brother; Lily's son fathered by Potter. As much as Severus hated James Potter for what he did to him in school, his son was Apollonia's brother; and Severus needed to know what happened to the boy.

The Potions Master was rather pleased that the Headmaster saw fit to cancel classes for the week due to Potter's unexpected success in defeating the Dark Lord. He had no desire to worry about classes when the Ministry was going through Death Eater trials. Of course, there was also the fact that Dumbledore himself had testimonies to give during the trials. He wasn't the head of the Order of the Phoenix for nothing. Albus could easily vouch for Severus and get him off the Ministry's charges; Severus then, needed to be sure that the Headmaster would help him with his issues. For Apollonia's sake; even for Potter's sake.

Severus traipsed through the castle and up to the Headmaster's office, ignoring everyone he passed. "Albus, we need to have a talk," Severus declared, storming into the room.

"Ah, Severus," the Headmaster murmured, clearly ignoring the Potion Master's rather abrupt entrance. "Care for a lemon drop?" Severus eyed the Headmaster, who eventually elaborated on the vague statement that was given. "A Muggle sweet I'm particularly fond of."

"No thank you, Albus," he said. "I came to discuss the current situation. The Dark Lord's destruction two days ago at the hands of Potter's boy has brought up a precarious situation." There was no need to beat around the bush; Apollonia's future depended on him getting rid of this obstacle that was the blemish on his arm. His mistake from three years ago brought him to this position. A mistake _five_ years ago caused all of this to happen. With both mistakes made—both life-changing decisions—Severus Snape was not about to make a third mistake however; if he did such a thing, he would get no more chances. Should that happen, Apollonia might be sent to a foster home. And, he _couldn't_ watch that happen.

"Shouldn't you be here with your daughter?" Albus asked.

"I took her to see Andromeda," Severus explained. For the past few months, Poppy, Minerva, and Pomona helped watch over his daughter. He would have asked one of them to watch her, but thought it best if the one year-old wasn't here. A lot of the Hogwarts staff—Minerva, Poppy, and Hagrid—were part of the Order and might be called to testify. When it came to Pomona—the only other person Severus trusted to watch his daughter—she was busy caring for a group of mandrakes, too busy to watch over his little girl. Andromeda had been left as the only other option, the Black sister that never sided with Voldemort.

_No_, Severus amended. _There was Sirius. _Only last night, word got out that Sirius Black killed twelve Muggles and best friend Peter Pettigrew. It was that incident that led Severus to deal with this now; hearing Black's name reminded the Potions Master of his only too recent school years, when those blasted Marauders frolicked the school causing trouble for people like Severus. As much as he hated Potter for stealing Lily, Severus despised Black even more; it was the latter that lured Severus to the Shrieking Shack and almost had Severus killed by their werewolf friend, Remus Lupin. And besides, Severus owed Potter a life debt for rescuing him; a life debt that now converted to Harry James Potter. And, it seemed fairly obvious that the only way to repay such a debt was to take care of the Ministry issue and go find the savior. After all, wouldn't he want to know his sister?

"An excellent idea," Dumbledore approved, popping a lemon drop into his mouth before looking expectantly at the young Potions Master. "And your reason for being here?"

"My duty as a spy and my duty as a father puts me in a precarious position, Albus, as I'm sure you very well know," Severus began. It was true. Little Apollonia had been here at Hogwarts for as long as Severus had been teaching Potions here, despite that only being a few months. "Should the Ministry take me in for questioning and throw me into Azkaban, what will become of my daughter? Lily's older sister, Petunia, is her only other relative that could possibly take her in and I am not about to let _that_ happen." Petunia Evans—or whatever it was now—always resented the fact that her younger sister had magic and she didn't. No doubt, Apollonia would _not _be treated well if she went there.

"Her brother would be there," the Headmaster said softly.

To a normal set of ears, the Headmaster's statement would be almost imperceptible. But, to a spy like Severus, who trained himself well, it was perfectly clear. "You didn't!" the Potions Master roared. Potter living with Petunia? He wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even Potter. Because of his magic, Harry Potter would _never_ survive Petunia; Severus knew that by age eleven when he and Lily got their letters to Hogwarts. "Have you gone mad, Albus? Allowing the boy—the savior of the Wizarding World, may I remind you—to lodge with his Muggle aunt is ludicrous. I know Petunia; I have for a long time, and know that she will _not_ tolerate the boy's magical heritage. Whatever you're trying to do, it won't work."

"It is for the best," Albus decided.

"The best?" Severus sneered. "Albus, have you _met_ the woman to whom you are referring?" Albus had certainly gone off the deep end if Petunia was the choice of guardian for the boy.

"No, but Minerva has," Albus intoned.

"And her opinion?" Severus queried, his face impassive. The Potions Master didn't know whether to be enraged or pleased that Minerva also knew this. He supposed it would be best to hear what the elderly woman had to say about them. Only then would Severus provide any commentary. As much as he was truly tempted to supply such an outburst, it was for the best Severus to keep his mouth shut. Things might work out for the best.

"_The worst sort of Muggles imaginable_," he quoted softly.

Minerva's words brought a small smile to the irate Potion Master's face. As far as Severus could tell, another one of the staff was on his side in regards to the Boy-who-Lived going to stay with Petunia. Though, unlike Severus, Minerva did not have prior experience with the woman. Her assessment of the home was an unbiased opinion, one that was surely accurate. "I'll have to thank Minerva," Severus decided. "Seems she's on my side in this."

"It is for the best," Albus maintained.

Severus sneered. "_I'd_ be a better guardian to the boy than Petunia." It would also be better for Potter to grow up with his sister. After learning that Potter lost his parents, there was a small part of him that sympathized with the boy as Apollonia was the only true family that Potter had left. Even if Severus hated the boy's father, the hatred that Severus possessed towards James had not completed transferred to the Boy-who-Lived. The only reason _that_ was so was because it was his daughter's brother and he could very well alienate her if such transference occurred. No, Harry Potter was a one year-old boy; there was no way he could be so much like James in that amount of time. And, if Severus raised the savior of the Wizarding World, there might be a way to nurture Lily's traits and suppress Potter's traits.

The Headmaster looked at his Potions Master in surprise; obviously the old Headmaster had not suspected such a thing. Albus's expression returned to its neutral state, as if he had not been caught off-guard by what was said. "Severus, I would have thought that your hatred of James would also include little Harry. After all, you joined the Death Eaters almost immediately after Lily's engagement to James was announced," Albus reminded.

Though he knew that to be true—Lily's engagement _had_ definitely influenced the decision to join the Death Eaters—Severus preferred not to be reminded of such things. It was Lily's news to him that she was pregnant—not only with Potter's child, but _his _as well—and the Dark Lord's almost subsequent decision to target the Potters that drove Severus away from the darkness's allure. All that mattered anymore was his daughter; Apollonia had to live in a world free of Voldemort. "That may have been true had I not been blessed with a daughter," Severus conceded. "A daughter who also happens to be the Harry Potter's sister."

Albus nodded. "Yes, I suppose that would help."

"Which is why I'm going to the Ministry, Albus," Severus informed the elderly man. "For my daughter's sake, it is imperative that I take care of this Death Eater business. If I don't, the Ministry might lock me away in Azkaban and my daughter might grow in a home that will show her no love. The same fate will undoubtedly befall Potter if he goes to live with Petunia."

"So noted," the Headmaster nodded.

Once he made his opinions known to the Headmaster about Potter's placement with Petunia, Severus used the fireplace to Floo to the Ministry. When he set foot in the atrium, the Potions Master took note of the fact that there were Aurors bustling about, trying to round up the Death Eaters as early as possible. A man Severus recognized as the Auror Alastor Moody noticed his presence and pointed him out. "Look! It's Severus Snape!" The Auror approached, clearly confused as to why a known Death Eater might be at the Ministry.

"I've come to turn myself in," Severus stated simply, ignoring the glares he received from people such as Moody. "I will submit myself for questioning under Veritaserum as well." Severus wished for it to be of public record that he became Dumbledore's spy when the Potters were targeted; that he wanted to protect Lily and her unborn children from suffering at Voldemort's hand. He begged Voldemort to spare Lily's life, but went to Dumbledore for the assurance that his childhood friend would be protected. So that he could protect his daughter, Severus came willingly, a fact that would be taken into account.

Hogwarts' Potions professor duly followed the Aurors. Despite turning himself in, he might have to spend some time in Azkaban to await trial; his reasoning for placing Apollonia with the Tonks family for the next few days. The Tonks' daughter, Dora could help watch over the girl for the duration. Severus was, as expected, taken to Azkaban. Though, he noted, it appeared as if Severus was to take residence in one of the nicer cells. It did not matter to the former Slytherin; he would wait this out and prove to everyone what was going on.

* * *

It appeared as if turning himself in was a blessing in disguise. Severus's trial was to take place on the morning of Wednesday, November 4th. From what he could tell, it was the earliest possible convenience for the Ministry to schedule his trial. Not the Severus minded; he would wait forever to deal with this in order to give his daughter the life she deserved. He wished for Apollonia to live in a world where Voldemort didn't terrorize the Wizarding World. And, quite ironically, it was thanks to her brother that such a thing was possible. Potter's defeat of the Dark Lord five days ago had given his twin sister a chance to live a normal life. Because of it, Severus would wait as long as he needed to deal with this.

The morning of November 4 dawned on the tiny island in which Azkaban was situated and Severus was brought to the Ministry, chained. As he stood in front of the Wizengamot, bound in chains, Severus caught sight of Ted Tonks in the gallery. He was the only one to come, which was only because of Apollonia. All others who came were not in support of him; in their eyes, he was a Death Eater and not worthy of living in society. Little did they know that Severus was truly working for Dumbledore to bring down Voldemort from the inside. Speaking of Albus, where was he? Why wasn't he, Minerva, or Poppy here to support him? Or even Pomona? Why was it that had Ted been the only one to come when there were at least four other people who had some semblance of the truth?

Severus supposed that it didn't matter at the moment. The news of his being a double agent for Dumbledore would soon come out. And then he could go deal with the situation regarding Potter. The boy had been living with Petunia for the past four days. He had suffered the woman's wrath for those four days, which was enough. Harry Potter could not live with _that_ woman. Not ever! So, once his trial was over, Severus would see to it that Harry Potter was protected, in a place where he could grow up with his sister. Albus would not be permitted to keep the savior of the Wizarding World hidden with his Muggle relatives, in a home in which magic would _never_ be welcome. Harry Potter would not be welcome there.

As Severus sat in a chair, bound by chains, the Head of Wizengamot stepped forward to address Severus and his peers. "Severus Tobias Snape, you stand accused of consorting with Death Eaters, and of being a Death Eater yourself. Mr. Snape, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty," Severus replied.

A collective gasp was heard in the gallery before they were shushed to proceed with the trial. "You have agreed to give a testimony under Veritaserum, have you not?" he was asked.

"I have," the Potions Master stated.

The Veritaserum was administered and the questioning began. Severus had to roll his obsidian eyes when the Head of Wizengamot asked the first question. It was always the same, but still they felt the need to ask such a pointless question. "What is your name?"

"Severus Tobias Snape."

"When were you born?"

"January 9th, 1960."

"Are you a Death Eater?"

_Ah, finally! Right to the point, aren't you? _This was the question Severus had been waiting for. He knew that the Veritaserum would force him reveal that he was a Death Eater. However, it would also force the truth to come out to the world that he acted as a spy for Dumbledore since early 1980—in fact, it was shortly after his twentieth birthday—in exchange for Lily's protection. "Yes." There was another gasp. "However, my allegiance to the Dark Lord only lasted until February 1980 when I swore loyalty to Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix in order to protect my unborn daughter." He needn't mention that Lily was also a part of this, for what he said was the truth; he _was_ doing it for his daughter.

"You have a daughter?"

"I do."

"Her name?"

"Apollonia Snape." That was only a half-truth, but the truth nonetheless. Severus simply omitted his daughter's middle name and her mother's maiden name, the latter given as a reminder of what he lost. Now it would serve as a reminder for his daughter of the fact that she never met her mother, nor would she ever. Apollonia Lily Evans Snape was a motherless daughter, which better than being an orphan as her brother was. _That_, however, was not a matter that needed discussing at this moment; he was currently on trial.

"And, are you still loyal to Dumbledore?"

"Very much so," Severus stated.

The Head of Wizengamot grimaced. "We will take a ten minute recess to check the veracity of these statements." A gavel banged down and Severus was momentarily led away.

It did not bother Severus that the Ministry wanted to check up on his daughter's existence. Doing so would only prove that the Veritaserum worked, that Severus was truly working for Dumbledore as he informed the Wizengamot. Though, it would be worth noting that Veritaserum was impossible to deceive; he could only tell the truth upon being dosed.

It took awhile for Severus to once again get brought before the Wizengamot. "Your claim is true. You do indeed have a daughter. And, as you have admitted under Veritaserum that your loyalty lies with Albus Dumbledore, it is the court's decision that you have been acquitted of all charges. You are free to go home to your daughter, Mr. Snape."

The shackles around the Potions Master's wrists and ankles disappeared, allowing Severus to glide towards the one person who came to support him. "Ted, I can't thank you enough for you and Andromeda taking care of my daughter these past few days. Would you mind doing so for another few hours? I have an errand to attend to." It was time to deal with the Potter situation. He was Apollonia's twin and deserved to live with his sister.

"I'll tell Andromeda," Ted nodded before Apparating away.

As Severus did not know where Petunia was living at the moment, he Flooed back to Hogwarts to ask Albus. Coming into the Headmaster's office, Severus saw that Albus was casually paging through a book on the Dark Arts when he walked into the man's line of sight. "How did it go, my boy?" the Headmaster asked, not bothering to look up at his Potions Master.

"Cleared of all charges," Severus declared.

"Ah, excellent," Albus grinned. "I knew it would work out for you. Now, when will we be seeing little Apollonia back in the Hospital Wing?" He asked the question so casually, as if Severus had not come in for another reason other than to alert the Headmaster that he still had his Potions Master. "It is the highlight of children's day when they must go to the Hospital Wing; they enjoy playing with your little girl. It has been quiet without her."

"Sorry to disappoint, Albus, but my daughter will be remaining with the Tonks family for another few hours," Severus informed the Headmaster. "I am here to discuss the Potter situation. As I have said before, I think it a mistake that you would place the boy in Petunia's care. If even Minerva agrees with me that Petunia is the worst sort of person to raise the boy-who-lived, then it is in his best interest that he be removed from the home immediately. I'm sure Petunia won't even bother to put up a fight. She hates magic and will hate the boy."

Albus set the book down, allowing twinkling blue eyes to meet obsidian. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter, Severus. Harry must remain at Number Four Privet Drive until the day he turns seventeen. Nowhere else is safer for him. And besides, I have Arabella stationed nearby to look after him. There is nothing to worry about, Severus."

"Like hell there isn't," Severus roared. He stormed out of the Headmaster office and down to the dungeon. Despite Albus's assurances that Potter would be okay, the cantankerous Potions Master was sure that the boy-who-lived was in danger. So, after entering his own office, Severus Flooed to 10 Wisteria Walk, where Albus once mentioned Arabella Figg lived. A brief conversation with the woman ensued before Severus made his way to Number Four Privet Drive. The Potions Master had a spell to cast, one that would help keep him well-informed as to any magical occurrences that were performed in this house. If Potter had to stay here, Severus could at least make assurances that everything was as it was meant to be. It was the only way for him to be appeased.

That done, Severus went to retrieve Apollonia from the Tonks'. After the events of the last five days, now was the time to begin a normal life, a life without Voldemort; a time to live without fear. Harry Potter had saved them all from such a fate. Severus only hoped that come eleven years from now, the boy-who-lived would be ready to attend Hogwarts.

* * *

**Author's Note: This is a story I've been working on for the past few weeks, my own twist on the _Severus raising Harry _plot line. In this case, Severus has a daughter, Harry's half-sister. And, with this sister comes a whole new set of problems. There are a few events that happen in the books that will happen in this timeline, but, for the most part, this story is extremely AU.**

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	2. For His Protection

**Chapter 2: For His Protection**

Harry Potter sat up in his cupboard with a start. Dreaming of that green light always seemed to do that to him. There was a time when he was two and woke up screaming, having seen that dream for the first of many; no matter what that flash of bright green light always frightened him. Unfortunately, no one seemed to care that Harry got so upset over a dream like that. The only reason Aunt Petunia even came to see him was to tell him to shut up; the rest of the house needed their beauty sleep. Freaks like him were expendable and didn't need a lot of sleep. After that, little Harry cried himself back to sleep. Harry learned fast after that particular incident occurred; it was the last time Harry ever went crying to his aunt or uncle for some form of comfort over a nightmare; only Dudley got such a thing.

The boy was surprised to find that the door to his cupboard was unlocked. He hadn't been expecting that. Uncle Vernon usually made him wait, causing the little boy to soil himself from not getting to the bathroom fast enough. A quick pass by the calendar as he toddled into the kitchen made Harry almost want to jump for joy. July 31st; his birthday. He would be turning four today. _Perhaps, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are going to throw me a party like they did with Dudley_. Last month, a surprise party was thrown for Harry's cousin, their _precious Dudders_. Maybe they would do the same for him. The chances were slim; his past two birthdays had not elicited the same. Little Harry spent his birthday alone in his cupboard after a quick breakfast of toast. He could expect much of the same thing today, despite it being his birthday, what was _supposed_ to be a happy occasion.

As he wandered over to Aunt Petunia, Harry tugged on his holey pants, pulling them up a bit, seeing as they were two sizes too big and once belonged to Dudley. The messy-haired boy also has a ratty T-shirt on, again belonging to his pudgy cousin. Harry passed his uncle and cousin, who were seated at the table, and looked up at the horse-faced woman that was his aunt with pleading emerald eyes. "Aunt Petunia," he asked, "is there anything planned for today?"

"Other than you getting some new chores, no," his aunt sneered. Harry's face fell. "Did you honestly expect that we would celebrate your birthday? You're nothing more than a freak, a waste of space. Now, why don't you go outside and start pulling some weeds?"

"What about breakfast?" Harry asked.

"No breakfast for freaks!" Dudley called.

The raven-haired boy hung his head and trudged outside. It seemed as if there would be no breakfast, no party for him. No, instead he was forced to do chores. Didn't they understand that he was only four? There was no reason for his aunt and uncle to say that he should _earn his keep_ as they called it. For the past few months, Harry often had to pick up after Dudley or help Aunt Petunia do the laundry or cook meals he wasn't allowed to eat. Pulling the weeds was the most recent addition to the list of chores for the scrawny little boy.

Harry sank to his knees in front of his aunt's rose garden. A lot of weeds had cropped up in the garden, almost as if they had just been waiting for Harry to pull. From what Harry could tell, it had been at least a year since that garden was tended to. It might take all morning for the immense garden to be free of the weeds. So, the four year-old started pulling the weeds, leaning into the garden and making sure that none of the flowers were crushed.

By the time he was halfway through pulling the weeds, it was almost midday. Harry glanced around at the yard; it was currently strewn with the weeds, which would only get Harry in further trouble. This wasn't how he was supposed to spend his birthday though; he wasn't supposed to be doing any chores. July 31st had to be a special day, when he was supposed to be happy; a party was supposed to get thrown the way it would for Dudley. But, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon never seemed to care; their _precious Dudders_ was all that mattered.

Harry pulled himself off his knees and started gathering the weeds strewn across the yard. Upon doing so, Harry built a cake out of the weeds; this would be the only cake he got. The scrawny boy closed his emerald eyes, preparing to make a wish. When he opened his eyes, the cake was real. Not bothering to ponder how much a thing was possible—he only closed his eyes for an instant—Harry examined the cake. It looked like one of the cakes Harry had seen at the bakery a few months ago; a marbled cake with vanilla icing. He was about to eat a part of it when Dudley came out of the house and spotted Harry with the cake.

When Dudley saw the cake sitting in front of his cousin, he immediately ran back into the house to tell his parents; though it was a Tuesday, Uncle Vernon decided to stay home for the day, most likely to catch Harry when he was doing something he shouldn't; which in his uncle's opinion, he was doing right now. It wasn't long before Uncle Vernon stormed out of the house, about ready to kill Harry. "Boy! What has your freakiness done now?"

* * *

While his four year-old daughter was busy eating lunch, Severus was in his lab brewing a new batch of burn salve. He was about to add the final ingredient when he heard a soft jingle. Severus grimaced slightly and placed the potion in stasis before going to fire-call Andromeda. There was no way that Severus could leave his daughter alone while he went to deal with Potter. His first bout of accidental magic occurred and Severus had to be around to find out what Petunia would do as a result of Potter's magic showing up. "Andromeda, I hate to call you over sooner than expected, but there is a situation that must be dealt with."

"Not a problem, Severus," Andromeda replied. "Nymphadora and I would be happy to come over earlier. I'm sure Apollonia would love having us here earlier. Is this about her brother?"

"It is." Since Apollonia happened to be the twin sister of the savior of the Wizarding World—of the boy-who-lived—Severus kept the truth from coming out. Only Albus, Minerva, Poppy, Pomona, and the younger two Black sisters were aware of the fact that Apollonia had a connection to the boy-who-lived. Severus wasn't even going to tell Narcissa at first, but when the Ministry decided to check the veracity of Lucius Malfoy's claim that he was under the effects of the Imperius by using Veritaserum, it was discovered that the claim was false. Lucius was locked away in Azkaban, meaning that he was not around to poison his young son's mind, or force Narcissa to do the same. And, since the Ministry also made sure that Lucius could not buy his way out of prison by way of placing all Malfoy holdings in trust for the Malfoy heir, Severus had no qualms with telling Narcissa who Apollonia's mother was. "I must go see to Mr. Potter, as he had his first of accidental magic."

"On his birthday too," Andromeda nodded. "We'll be right over."

"Thank you, Andromeda," the Potions Master said. He headed upstairs to speak with his daughter. "Apollonia, I need to run a quick errand. Andromeda and Dora are coming over to watch over you."

"But, it's my birthday," the girl complained.

"Which is exactly why I'm going to get your brother," Severus told her. By the time Apollonia was old enough to understand, Severus informed his daughter of her brother's existence; that her brother was Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived. Even if Albus didn't want Harry to leave the Dursleys—Severus later learned Petunia's last name; that she married Vernon Dursley, the man she was dating the last time Severus heard from the Evans family, and had son a month older than Potter—Severus did not want his daughter to remain oblivious to her twin brother's existence. Apollonia knew who her brother was, but had yet to meet him.

"You're going to get him?" she asked.

"I am. Your aunt and uncle do not quite understand magic, and my guess is that I will have to explain things to him. So just give me a few hours," Severus told her as Andromeda and Dora Tonks Flooed into the house. The Potion Master turned to Andromeda. "Apollonia is eating lunch. I really don't know how long this is going to take; Potter's relatives are not magic-lovers. Thank you again for doing this, Andromeda; I'll be back as soon as I can."

"No problem, Severus," she replied. "Now go."

The Potion Master nodded and apparated away to Number Four Privet Drive. Or more accurately, the area between the houses. He quickly disillusioned himself and sneaked around to watch Potter. A scrawny boy dressed in rags was kneeling in the grass in front of a cake. _Rags? What is this, déjà vu?_ Staring at the four year-old savior reminded Severus of his own childhood. His father was a drunk that hated magic; he used up all the money Eileen had, leaving Severus to dress in rags. Now here Harry Potter was in the same situation, looking undernourished for a four year-old. He looked abused. What would the Wizarding World say if they knew that their savior was being abused by his aunt and uncle?

A large walrus of a man thundered outside. _"Boy! What has your freakiness done now?"_ The man, whom Severus suspected to be Vernon—he hadn't seen the man in almost a decade—grabbed hold of the boy, pulling him inside. Severus, under cover of the disillusionment, followed, watching as Vernon shoved Potter into a small cupboard. "This is what you get for your freakiness!" the walrus-sized man roared. "There will be none of that in this house."

Severus clenched his fists. Petunia stood there and watched as her husband threw the boy into the cupboard. She did nothing to stop any of this. What was Albus thinking when he placed the boy here? Did he actually think that Petunia would care for the boy as her own? The Potions Master removed the Disillusionment Charm from himself and glared at Vernon and Petunia. He was less than pleased by the scene he just witnessed, throwing Harry Potter, the savior of the Wizarding World into a cupboard. Petunia gasped at the sight of Severus in her home. "How dare you come here after what you did to my sister?"

"Lily forgave me for what happened," Severus informed the woman. "Though, I doubt she would ever forgive you for how you've been doing to her son. Lily didn't die so that you could abuse him. Nor would she have permitted you throwing her son into a cupboard."

"It's where I live," a meek voice replied. Severus unlocked the cupboard door and pulled it open. The boy-who-lived wandered out, looking up at Severus. "Sir, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help you, Mr. Potter," he said.

"Help _me_?" the boy asked.

"Indeed."

"No!" Vernon yelled, his rotund face turning bright shade of purple. "I will _not_ allow it! The boy is to be punished for what he did. Instead of doing his work, he ran off and stole a cake."

The boy-who-lived opened his mouth in protest, but Severus beat him to the punch. "Punished? But, the boy did nothing wrong. From what I understand, he turned the weeds into a cake. And, what is the boy doing chores for; it is his fourth birthday? If anyone, it should be your son who does the chores." Severus motioned to the blond boy who just came from the kitchen to see what was going on. The boy—Dudley, if he recalled—seemed to be a younger version of his father. He was already a bit chubby and, if things continued as they were, Harry's cousin could be exceedingly overweight. Severus knelt down in front of Harry. "Mr. Potter, please get go your things. I am taking you somewhere so that you may tell a colleague of mine of your living conditions." Albus needed to know how Petunia was treating her nephew, what the _almighty_ wizard had done.

The boy went to get a few meager possessions, including a light blue baby's blanket, before returning. "I'm done, sir." Emerald eyes met obsidian. "Where are we going?"

Severus shook his head at what little the boy had. "This just keeps getting worse. Mr. Potter, please grab hold of me. I will explain on the way." Harry did as he was told after exiting the Dursley home and the pair apparated to the gate of Hogwarts. The boy-who-lived looked a bit green in the face. "Sorry, Mr. Potter. But, this was the only way; you were placed with your relatives two and a half years ago, after your parents were murdered. With what I've just seen, I must confront the man who did this and explain to him why I was right."

"What _is _this place?" Harry asked.

"This is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Severus said. "You are a wizard, Mr. Potter, just as your mother and father were before you. And, in about seven years, you can attend this place."

"How do you know my name?" he asked.

Severus rubbed his temples. In the past two and a half years, not once had Petunia or Vernon ever explained the boy what happened to his parents. Just another black mark for Albus. The Potions Master should have guessed that Petunia would do such a thing, anything to keep Harry from learning that magic was real. "This is going to be a real shock to you, Mr. Potter, since you seem to know nothing of the world you were born into. Everyone in the world knows your name, at least everyone in the Wizarding World. Yes, magic is real. About five years ago, a prophecy was made; a dark wizard by the name of Voldemort—though most people instead prefer to call him You-Know-Who—got hold of the prophecy and targeted you. Your parents died trying to protect; it's how you got that scar."

Potter absentmindedly rubbed his lightning bolt scar. "I wondered how I got it. Aunt Tuney told me that I got it in the car crash that killed my parents. Guess that was a lie."

"It was indeed," Severus declared. "I grew up with your mother and your aunt. When I discovered that my best friend's son was placed with his Muggle relatives, I knew that something like this would happen. Lily knew that something like this might happen."

"You knew my mother?" Emerald eyes lit up.

"I did. Since childhood, in fact," Severus told the birthday boy. "You have your mother's eyes you know." It had been Lily's emerald eyes that Severus fell in love with, those mesmerizingly beautiful jade-colored eyes. Everything else belonged to the boy's father, to James. "The rest of you is the spitting image of your father. I knew them both, Lily more than James." Severus refrained from speaking of his hatred for the boy's father. He was a four year-old boy that did not need to hear any of that. "Now, come; we must have a talk."

As he and the boy-who-lived headed up to the castle, Severus wondered how he could get the boy away from the Dursleys forever. There was obviously something that Albus wasn't telling him. Like why was Harry not allowed to leave the Dursleys? Why did he have to stay there? Upon giving the password, Severus led the boy-who-lived up to Dumbledore's office. Harry seemed to be looking at the castle in wonder. "When we get to Headmaster Dumbledore's office, please refrain from speaking. I will inform the man what is going on."

"Okay," the boy said in a quiet voice.

Severus led the boy into Albus's office. The Headmaster looked up in surprise, particularly when seeing Harry at his side. "Severus, what is Mr. Potter doing here? He is _supposed_ to be with the Dursleys. I thought I made that very clear that Harry had to stay with the Dursleys."

"You did, Albus," Severus intoned mildly. "However, I put a slight security measure on the house. If any magic occurred on that property, I would be alerted. And, it was lucky I did too because Petunia and Vernon Dursley were abusing the boy. His bedroom was a cupboard _under the stairs_. Plus, they were making the boy do chores on his birthday, working him like a dog."

"I haven't eaten at all today," Harry piped up.

"They're _starving_ the boy!" Severus roared.

All colored drained from Albus's face. "I did not know. But, he _has _to stay there, despite what's been going on. Harry is safest, so long as he lives in _that_ house. Petunia can protect him."

"How?" Severus asked. "Tell me, Albus; how is it possible that Lily's _Muggle_ sister could provide sufficient protection for Mr. Potter?" There was no way that such a thing would ever be considered possible. Lily was a Muggleborn witch, meaning that her parents and sister would never have magic. So, why was Albus insisting that Petunia could protect the savior of the Wizarding World better than any witch or wizard ever thought possible?

"Blood protection," Albus explained.

"_Blood protection?"_ Severus repeated. If it was blood protection that kept Potter safe, the Dursleys most certainly were not the only ones to who could protect him. "Albus, do you even realize what you're saying? I suppose you haven't realized the most obvious thing. Since you have clearly overlooked this, I will repeat it for you; Apollonia is Lily's daughter; the boy could be living with his twin sister and _still _be protected. My daughter is the key to all of this; she can protect her brother and also keep him from suffering through the wrath that is his aunt and uncle; Petunia and Vernon can not get their hands on the boy."

The Headmaster allowed a small smile to cross his features. "But, Severus, hasn't your daughter's connection to the boy-who-lived been kept a secret these past few years? Would you really want to subject your daughter to the crowds that will mob the boy?" Albus asked pleasantly. "I placed the boy with his Muggle relatives so that he could grow up _away_ from the limelight that would overshadow his childhood. He could grow up as a normal boy."

"Normal!" Severus shouted. "You call the abuse he suffered _normal_. I can tell you, Albus, that a life like that is most certainly _not_ considered normal. _I _suffered through a life like that and I will most definitely not permit my daughter—or her brother—to live through what I did. Not that _you_ even cared what I went through, not at home or at school." Severus glared at the Headmaster. He never understood the life his spy suffered through. "And, I hope you know that Mr. Potter is currently holding onto all of his possessions. Petunia didn't give the boy much. He is not the pampered prince that James was, that I'm sure you expected him to be as well. I am taking Harry to live with his sister. If you want blood protection, Apollonia can provide him with that. But, I am not about to send the boy back to the Dursleys'; in the two and a half years that the boy has been there, Harry has already been malnourished and it would only continue if I did not act."

Severus and Harry Flooed back to Spinner's End, emerging in the house to find Andromeda seated in a chair, reading the _Daily Prophet._ "Back so soon, Severus?" the disowned Black sister asked.

* * *

Harry, for the most part, had followed his protector's advice. He remained silent as the man in black spoke to the grandfather-looking man. Though, a lot of had to do with the fact that the four year-old wanted to know what was going on. Why had this man, who went by the name Severus, rescued him from the Dursleys? There had been other guests at the Dursley house, but none of them seemed to care about Harry, or the fact that he was locked away in the cupboard for most of the day. And, what was this about a sister? No one ever mentioned that Harry had a twin sister. Would she like him? Or would she be like Dudley's friends?

The four year-old looked up at his savior. He was speaking with a brown-haired woman with faint streaks of gray in her hair. She was dressed in a mauve robe, or at least that's what it _looked_ like; Harry couldn't be sure. "Only for a short time," Severus answered the woman. "When I went to check on Harry—to see how he was faring—I found a living situation not appropriate for the savior of the Wizarding World. He was being abused, Andromeda. And, all because of the blood protection Albus insists on using to protect him. Instead of using my daughter as would have been the _obvious_ choice, Albus chose to keep Harry away from the Wizarding World by placing him with his Muggle relatives."

"Abused by his relatives?" the woman repeated.

"You must understand, Andromeda; these people are nothing like Ted's parents," the man warned. "Whereas your in-laws supported him in the fact that Ted had magic, Petunia and Vernon despise magic. They would not have tolerated his magic; they called it his _freakiness_."

The woman—Andromeda's—jaw dropped. "They're like my family, only the opposite end of the spectrum then." Severus nodded. "Why not just bring him here to live with his sister?"

"Albus thought it would be _best_ to let Harry live a _normal_ life. Had he lived in the magical world, he'd be mobbed everywhere he went, as would my daughter," Severus explained. "So, dear Albus made an executive decision, sending Harry to his aunt's and uncle's house, rather than here with his twin sister, or with your cousin; the boy's godfather."

Harry's eyes widened at _that_ statement. Did he hear him right? He had a _godfather_. Since going to live with his aunt and uncle, it was made very clear that Harry was nothing more than a burden. Why hadn't he gone to live with someone that cared about him; his sister or his godfather? It would have been much better if Harry lived with one of them from the beginning. One of them—either one—would have loved and cared from him from the second his parents died. But instead, he spent a few years with his semi-abusive aunt and uncle.

"Ah yes, Sirius," Andromeda mused. "I was surprised that he would do such a thing, betray his best friend and kill another. Yet another Black to disappear. Cissy and I are the only Blacks left that aren't dead or in Azkaban. Though Cissy is the only one still _considered_ one."

Harry eyed the pair in confusion. He had no clue what was going on here, or what they were talking about. What was Azkaban? Who was Sirius Black? And this _Cissy_ person; who was that? Severus and Andromeda needed to explain what was going on. He may have only been four, but he could understand some of what was being said here today. Emerald eyes shifted to a pair of girls coming into the room. One was about his age; a bob of wavy black hair and emerald eyes like his own. The other was a few years older with a heart-shaped face and a mop of bubblegum pink hair. The younger one, who Harry supposed was his sister, spotted his presence and ran over, giving him a hug. "Harry!" she exclaimed.

"Apollonia, was that really necessary?" Severus asked.

"Yes!" the girl exclaimed.

"He may be your brother, but you know that's not the best way for you to make an impression," Severus warned his daughter. "Do you really want your brother to see you as being impulsive?" From the corner of his eye, Harry could see Severus's scowl, that he was not impressed with his daughter's lack of decorum. Not that Harry really minded. It was nice to have someone who wanted him around, unlike with the Dursleys. They never wanted him around.

"So, you're my sister, huh?" he asked.

"_Half-_sister," Apollonia corrected. "Different fathers."

"You're still my sister," Harry insisted.

"Precisely," he heard Severus say. "Which bring me to my point; Andromeda, I'm going to need you to set up blood wards over my house. If Albus wants him to be protected through the blood protection, fine. I'll give him what he wants. But, Apollonia is to be used to in Petunia's stead."

"Blood wards?" Harry asked. "What are they?"

It was Andromeda who explained this. "When your mother died, Harry, she cast a powerful form of magic in order to protect you. So long as you are housed in a place where a member of your mother's family dwells, there is no way for any dark wizards to come after you."

"Which is now here with my sister, right?" Harry queried.

"It has to be," Severus decided. "It's the best place for you, to grow up with your sister." He turned his daughter, who was now seated on the floor in front of the fireplace. "Little princess, I'm going to need you to help Andromeda with the spell; she needs your blood for the spell."

"Okay. What are you doing?" she asked.

"I need to take your brother to Diagon Alley. Unfortunately, your Muggle relatives did not treat him too well. He had little clothing that actually _fit _him. So, I am to make sure that he has one. _That_ and a few other things will be _his _birthday gift. After that, you can open your gifts. But, I will have to see to your brother first. With what has been going on at Number 4 Privet Drive, his situation is far more severe than yours," Severus said.

"So, I have to wait even longer?" she asked.

"Just a few hours," he told her.

While his sister and her father spoke, Harry turned his attention to the girl with bubblegum pink hair. The pink hair threw him off; he had never seen anyone who had pink hair. Nor did he know who she was. "Who are you?" Harry asked in a rather blunt fashion.

The girl smiled. "Dora Tonks."

"Actually, it's _Nymphadora_ Tonks," Andromeda stated.

Dora's hair became a vibrant shade of red. "Mum! You know I don't like being called Nymphadora. I bloody well hate it. Dad calls me Dora and at least I can stand _that_. But, don't ever call me Nymphadora." As her mood returned to normal, Dora's hair returned to its bubblegum pink color.

"How do you do that?" Harry asked.

"I'm a metamorphagus," Dora explained. "I can change my appearance at will." Her features shifted so that Harry was looking at an exact replica of himself. The replica winked and shifted back.

"Wicked!" Harry decided.

"Very," Dora agreed.

"If you two are done," Severus said, "it's time for me to take Mr. Potter to Diagon Alley. Harry, please come with me." Harry nodded and duly followed the man over to the fireplace. He would very much like to obtain a new wardrobe; there was no way that he could continue wearing Dudley's old ratty clothes, particularly when they didn't fit him. Dudley's old clothes were a symbol of his life at Number 4 Privet Drive. Now was a time for new beginnings.

* * *

**Author's Note: The blood wards that protected Harry are the reason in which Apollonia is around. I wondered what might have happened if another blood relative existed, someone that could give Harry a better life. And, after living in a magical home rather than being Muggle-raised as in canon, Harry should be smarter, more well-informed about the goings on of the magical world and his place in it, a fact that would give him an advantage over Voldemort. It makes more sense than being oblivious to one's heritage.  
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	3. A Joyous Occasion

**Chapter 3: A Joyous Occasion **

After seeing that Petunia and Vernon Dursley offered their nephew a rather meager existence, Severus knew that he was in the right two and a half years ago. Letting Harry Potter stay with relatives who despised magic was simply not going to happen, not with Severus's own past coming into play. Just like Harry was starting to, so had Severus been raised in a home where magic was disallowed. Tobias Snape flipped out when his witch of a wife birthed a wizard for a son; he was hoping that Severus wouldn't have magic. But, when it was discovered that he did, his life shot to hell faster than he could say _Hogwarts_.

The savior of the Wizarding World could _not_ have a life like that. It was even worse than having the life of a pampered prince the way he might have if James was still alive. No, Harry needed to find a balance between the two extremes; between abusive and pampered. And, Severus was the perfect person for the job. From watching how James acted and recalling his own childhood, Severus knew how to give Harry the life he deserved. After all, he was doing the same with his daughter. It did not matter that there would now be two of them; though, he might have to contend with some sibling rivalry. There wouldn't be much, as they were of different gender, but they were still twins and he'd have to be careful.

Severus led Harry into a nearby shop and found himself rather glad that he thought to cast a glamour on the boy-who-lived. A large crowd was in the shop, a host of people who would crowd around Harry had the boy not been disguised. The longer he could keep the news quiet, the better things would be. Not until the new term at Hogwarts began would Severus reveal the truth; that Harry Potter was living with his twin sister. He preferred to keep things as they were for the moment. "Come; let's get you measured, young man. You need clothes that fit."

Harry nodded. "Yes sir."

While his daughter's brother got fitted for his clothes, Severus went to do something he thought the young Potter might like. Even as he went to do so, the Potions Master knew he'd regret it. But, after what he had seen occurring at the Dursley house, it was best that he allow the Quidditch prowess that Harry inherited from his father to shine through. Severus did not wish for the young boy to try to emulate his father—a man Severus despised—but such a fate might be inevitable. Even the Potions Master could see that. Upon returning to Harry's side a good fifteen minutes later—the gift was sent back home to Spinner's End as a surprise for Harry—Severus found that the boy-who-lived was busy going through the clothes, picking out what he liked. He allowed the boy five more minutes before sending the seven pairs of pants, ten shirts of varying colors and styles, socks, and underpants off to Spinner's End whilst the pair of shoppers left the store.

"Where next?" Harry asked.

The Potions Master opted not to tell the boy, instead preferring to what his expression light up. Harry seemed pensive, obviously trying to figure out what their next stop might be. Eventually, the four year-old boy looked up at the toy store they stood in front of and Severus watched as the boys eyes lit up. This was a magic toy store and, after seeing what the savior of the Wizarding World went through the past two and a half years, it was best to let him have his way, even if Severus was against such a thing. When he came to get Potter, Severus found that the boy-who-lived had very few possessions. Those thirty-three months in which Potter spent at the Dursleys was not the life everyone expected Harry Potter to have. He was expected to be a pampered prince, his every whim getting catered to. For just this one day, Severus planned on allowing such a thing. So long as it was _just_ one day. "Look around, Mr. Potter. Pick out what you'd like," he informed the boy.

The young boy—still under the guise of the glamour—ran throughout the store, looking through the toys. During his own childhood, there were times when Severus wished that he had free reign of the toy store, picking out what he wanted. His drunkard of a father never gave Severus the opportunity to have such joys. Neither Apollonia nor Harry would know such misery. Harry spent twenty minutes picking out toys—most notably a model of the Hogwarts Express—before the gifts were sent out and the pair headed off to Flourish and Blotts.

Aside from letting Harry get a few books, there was a gift for his daughter he needed to obtain. The store had yet to send over the copy of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ Severus asked them to restore. It once belonged to his mother, himself, and Lily, who later gave it back when she realized she was pregnant with both Apollonia and Harry; she wanted Apollonia to have it. It would be one of the few items Apollonia had of her mother as Severus had not the opportunity to find anything of Lily's that might be worth giving his daughter. Though, now that he had Potter in his custody, he might be able to do that much easier. But, in any case, Severus couldn't do that just yet and this restoration of an old family book for Apollonia would help. By the time he was done with that, Harry had collected all the books he wanted. "Are you done, Mr. Potter?" the Potions Master asked.

"Yes sir," the boy replied.

"Good. We have more stop yet," Severus told him.

"Where's that?" Harry asked.

Severus pointed to the boy's current footwear. "Petunia and Vernon have not only neglected your clothing and nutrition, but your footwear as well. We're going to get you some proper ones. After that, we'll be returning to celebrate yours and your sister's birthday."

Harry nodded. "That would be nice."

The shoe shopping ended a short time later and they headed back to Spinner's End to find that Ted Tonks had arrived. Severus removed the glamour now that they were out of the public eye and turned to Ted. "Did Andromeda tell you of what's been happening?"

"She did," Ted responded. "I had no idea that Muggles could be so cruel. It's nothing like what I went through with my parents; they were supportive of the gifts I had."

Severus nodded. "Lily's parents were positively beaming with pride that she had such a gift. Petunia was immensely jealous of her, wanted to attend Hogwarts herself. When Albus refused Petunia's request, that jealousy turned into deep-rooted hatred. I tried to warn Albus when I discovered what he did; however, he was determined to keep the boy hidden in the Muggle world. I took the precaution of placing a spell over the house to alert me as to when the boy's magic activated. It's the only reason I found out about the _great_ Harry Potter's current living conditions. So, if blood wards are what Albus wants, Apollonia is to provide them. Not Petunia. The protection will be much stronger if it comes from that of a relative that truly cares for him. Not like with Petunia; it wouldn't work."

"The blood wards should also be stronger since the two directly related," the older man pointed out. "Apollonia can protect her brother better than anyone, which could play to Dumbledore's advantage if he wants the boy-who-lived to be protected since that protection could also extend to Hogwarts."

Severus had not thought of that. Though it did make sense; rather than leaving Apollonia with Andromeda and Ted, despite their offer to watch over her during the school year, she came with him to Hogwarts. If the blood wards protected the boy-who-lived while he lived with his sister, it meant that Harry and Apollonia were definitely coming to Hogwarts; they could spend time with Hagrid, Albus, or Poppy. "Yes, I suppose that could work," Severus mused. "And, if need be, I can ask Dora for her help in watching them."

"I'd be happy to watch over them," he heard Dora say.

"Good. Now, come you please go find my daughter. Tell her that Harry and I have returned, so she can open her presents now." If Harry was allowed to have presents, it would stand to reason that Apollonia should get hers too, rather than waiting until after dinner as would usually be the case.

Not two minutes later his four year-old daughter came rushing into the room and settled into a nearby chair, ready for her birthday presents. Andromeda soon followed. "The wards are in place. Harry should be protected from any Death Eaters that might come to call."

The Potions Master was immensely grateful for that. He still had a few Death Eater contacts—people who evaded capture and were living their lives normally—meaning there were times when he feared for his daughter's life. They were infrequent visits, but still; he was far more relaxed in knowing that the blood wards would protect the both of them. "Thank you, Andromeda; I appreciate your help in this matter. Their safety is paramount."

* * *

As she sat in the chair waiting for her father to hand her the presents, Apollonia's gaze flickered to where Harry was seated on the floor. Seeing her brother for the first time today—and knowing that he was going to be living here from now on; she wanted to curse Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon for treating him in such a way—was a gift enough for her. Just before her second birthday, Apollonia heard her father mention the name Harry Potter. It was then that she learned what happened only eight months prior; a bad man killed her mother and step-father, leaving Harry to be raised by their aunt. And there he remained for a few years.

If what she overheard her father talking to Ted, Dromeda, and Dora about was accurate, Aunt Petunia had not treated Harry well. Even from observations, the four year-old girl could see that. Harry looked skinny, much too skinny than he should have been. Apollonia had never looked like that. _But, maybe Daddy can help him_, Apollonia surmised._ Daddy won't let what happened at Auntie's house continue; Harry can have a better life here with me. I want to have a brother. Dora's nice to have around, but it would be better to have someone around here my own age; someone I can go to school with. _Had Harry not come when he did, the four year-old would be very lonely without anyone to play with, particularly when Dora went to school; she would be busy with schoolwork.

And, when it came time for Hogwarts, Apollonia could show Harry around. They would have an advantage when it came to attending school. By the time they were eleven, the siblings would know all the teachers; most of the students (it was too bad Dora would be gone by then); and, _most importantly_, know their way around the castle. Presently, Apollonia was only ever allowed in the Slytherin common room—where her father was always close on hand—or in the Hospital Wing with Poppy Pomfrey, the school nurse. But, Apollonia wanted to go see the greenhouses at one point; since first meeting her as a baby, Apollonia took an instant liking to the Herbology teacher, Pomona Sprout.

Harry, she guessed, might like Hagrid, the school's gamekeeper. Or the Transfiguration teacher, Minerva McGonagall. At the end of the previous school year, Apollonia was present for a stunt on a Gryffindor named Bill Weasley. An owl came in the mail for him with what seemed like perfectly normal letter. It turned out to have been charmed by his six year-old twin brothers to turn into a pie and hit Bill in the face. Shortly after that, Apollonia overheard Hagrid and Minerva talking, stating that if things continued as they were, Hogwarts would have another James Potter and Sirius Black—whom Apollonia had already heard of by that point as being her step-father and his best friend; also Harry's godfather—around in the form of Fred and George Weasley. If either of them knew anything about James the way they did Lily—which they told Apollonia on occasion—it was best for Harry to become friends with either one of them, so as to hear stories about his parents.

A gift was placed on Apollonia's lap, breaking the girl out of her reverie and forcing her to look up. It was Dromeda's husband, Ted, who handed her the first gift, a smile on his face. She quickly opened it to find something she once laughed about staring back at her. Shortly after the last school year ended, Apollonia saw that stores started selling _Harry Potter_ products, hoping to capitalize on the tragedy. What Apollonia saw in the box was one of the items; a snow globe enchanted to depict the events of Halloween 1981, or what people assumed happened. The little girl smiled, remembering her words of that day, said in front of Ted and her father. "No one knows if it really happened this way," she said quietly, looking at her brother; only _he_ would know what happened and, even then, Harry might not recall the events. Apollonia turned back to Ted. "Thank you, Ted."

"The globe is charmed to show close-ups of James, Lily, and your brother; shifting every fifteen minutes to a new scene," Ted explained to the young Snape, kneeling down to her level.

"I can see my mother then," Apollonia realized. For only a few brief seconds had Apollonia caught sight of her mother. With this gift from Ted, she could look at her mother's visage anytime she wanted. The same with Harry; though it was her gift, both she and Harry could get use out of it. As the globe was set aside, Andromeda handed the young year-old her next gift, this one smaller than the last. Upon opening it, she found a white cashmere jumper patterned with yellow suns. Apollonia smiled. "Thank you, Dromeda." It was Andromeda who informed the girl of the origins of her name; that her name was the feminine form of the sun god Apollo. It was a joke that Apollonia often got a kick out of.

"You're welcome, little sun," Andromeda said.

Dora stepped forward next, a smile on her face. "Thought you might like this," the older girl stated, handing Apollonia a flat oblong package. "I remember you telling me this."

Apollonia nodded at Dora's statement and tore at the wrapping, finding a thin volume on the Arthurian legend. Though, since Apollonia knew that magic was real—not like the Muggles—she wouldn't really call it legend. It was more along the lines of fact. Being a part of the magical world, Apollonia found stories about King Arthur and Merlin interesting. The whole thing sounded absolutely fascinating. Already, the girl knew that she wanted to further look into the topic as she grew older. She got up and hugged the pink-haired girl. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Dora replied.

Her father's gift was the only thing left. When it came to Severus Snape, Apollonia found that her father often liked displaying his love for Potions through the gifts he gave. _That_ was what she expected. What she _did not_ expected was to see a wooden book—made of cherry, she recalled from being around her father's potions so much; on occasion, he needed some for a potion and Apollonia quickly learned to recognize it on sight—with a skull embossed in silver on the cover held out for her to take. Apollonia looked up at her father questioningly. "This book once belonged to your grandmother, myself, and your mother. She wanted you to have it." He pressed the book into her hands. "I want you to take good care of it, princess. "This book is an antique; it came from the Prince library and was one of the few items my mother was allowed to keep after her disownment."

The four year-old nodded. If this belonged to family—and even once owned by her mother—it was best for her to hold onto this. A Prince family heirloom; there weren't many of those around, at least in this house. Nor had she met anyone from the Prince line; a relative on her father's side. Apollonia only knew of those only the distaff side of her family; of Harry, Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and her cousin, Dudley. She carefully placed the book with her other gifts and looked at her father, pointing at something she spotted in the corner. "Dad, is that for Harry?" Apollonia asked, indicating the item in the corner.

He nodded and went to get the item. It was handed to Harry, who seemed shocked. "Sir, what is this?" Apollonia heard her brother ask as he took hold of the package.

"Open it," Apollonia urged.

Harry did as he was ordered and Apollonia watched as her brother's eyes widened at the sight of what she already knew was a kiddie broom. She smiled. It would be interesting to see his reaction to the broom. In her opinion, Harry seemed confused. "A broom? Like for cleaning?"

"No, flying," Apollonia informed him.

For a second time, her brother's eyes lit up. "So, witches and wizards really do fly on brooms like in the stories?" he asked, looking at Apollonia questioningly. She nodded in affirmation of her brother's assessment. "Wicked! There was a time a few months ago when I dreamt of a flying motorbike. If flying brooms is possible, could a motorbike fly as well?

Rather than answering her brother's question, Apollonia turned her attention to the adults in the room, watching as her father's Ted's, and Dromeda's expressions darkened by what Harry said. Apollonia could see nothing wrong with it; she heard Bill Weasley say once that his father was trying to get a Ford Anglia to fly. Why not a motorbike? But, it seemed as if Harry's statement was not well met. Only Dora seemed to have not been fazed. So, Apollonia asked her if she had any idea as to what this was about. Harry, too, came over. "Dora, do you have any idea as to what this is about?" she queried.

Dora nodded. "I do."

"Tell us," Harry cried.

"I will. But, you must understand, this isn't really something that anyone likes to talk about. See, I've heard of a flying motorbike—" Apollonia saw her brother smile at hearing of that. "—it belonged to mum's cousin, Sirius; he's also your godfather, Harry. Anyway, he arrived after the attack on Godric's Hollow where James and Lily Potter were hiding on that flying motorbike to find Rubeus Hagrid there to get Harry, to take him to his aunt's and uncle's—" Harry frowned at this, "—for protection. Sirius gave Hagrid the bike and flew you to the Muggle world under cover of darkness; that's what I think you remember: Hagrid taking you away from Godric's Hollow. And, while Hagrid did that, Mum's cousin headed off to the Muggle world himself, eventually killing twelve Muggles and an old friend, Peter Pettigrew. Right now, Sirius Black is sitting in an Azkaban prison cell for thirteen murder sentences and betraying the Potters by giving up their location to You-Know-Who; he's there for the rest of his life because of his betrayal," Dora explained.

Once Dora ended her tale, Apollonia caught a brief glimpse of her father's sternest glare. "Was _that_ really necessary, Ms. Tonks? Did you _have _to tell my four year-old daughter _and_ her twin brother—who also happens to be Black's godson—about what happened that night?"

"They might need to know," Dora defended.

"But, they're _four_," he argued.

"I _know_ that, sir," Dora responded. "However, I think you'll thank me later when it turns out that they are in dire need of such information. What _if_ something happened and it was crucial for them, especially, Harry, to know the reason behind his parents' deaths?"

"That may be so, Dora; however, it is _not _your responsibility to tell them so," Apollonia heard her father say. "If they needed to know the true nature of what happened, then I would tell them. But, they are four year-old and this is too delicate a situation for them to understand."

As her father reprimanded Dora for merely telling them the truth, Apollonia pulled her brother into the other room. They really didn't need to hear any of this. Besides, Dora was right; it was necessary for the two siblings to hear this story. If this story was about Harry's godfather—whether he was in Azkaban or not—they needed to know what was happening around them; Harry because it was a story about him and Apollonia because she helped keep her brother safe. She pulled her brother into the room right beside hers, what was prepared to be _his_ bedroom. Two sets of emerald eyes met. "Do you think what Dora said is true; that Sirius Black betrayed Mum and James?" she asked her brother.

Harry shrugged. "Don't know. But, if I was on a flying motorbike that night, it could only mean that Sirius was there that night. Would he really return to the scene of the crime?"

"Good point," Apollonia said. "Why would he go back?" Her brother's observation seemed to be something everyone over looked. Why _would _Sirius go to Godric's Hollow after Voldemort got there? Did he go to see if the job was done, or was there some ulterior motive for what happened? "Think maybe we should look into ourselves?"

"Maybe _we_ could find something," Harry suggested.

"Though, how could two four year-olds dig into the past and find something that even grown-ups couldn't find?" Apollonia wondered. Everyone in the world believed Sirius Black to be a traitor, selling out the Potter's location to Voldemort. If two four year-olds proved that to be false, what did that say about everyone else's powers of observation? The girl shrugged. "Maybe we should wait until we're a few years older to find out exactly what happened. After all, who would listen to two four year-olds that barely know anything?"

"So, we wait?" Harry asked.

"We'll have to," Apollonia said.

Harry took a seat on the bed, absentmindedly rubbing his lightning bolt scar as he did. "This is been one crazy birthday. I thought I'd be staying locked in my cupboard all day, or, if I was let out, doing chores until I could no longer walk. Now it turns out that I'm a famous wizard and have a twin sister I knew nothing about. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this could happen, and I've dreamt about the flying motorbike," Harry muttered.

"Yeah, pretty crazy," Apollonia chuckled. "Though, you'll get used to it. Then again, I'm still not used to hearing everyone talk about my brother simply because he's the boy-who-lived. It's the one thing I could never bring myself to accept. And, since very few people know that I'm your sister, I can't exactly yell at them." It was Apollonia's one regret; that she had to deal with the talk of her brother, not saying anything about it, or she'd get mobbed. Now that her brother was around, it would be even more difficult trying to keep her mouth shut in regards to her brother. As much as she—and Harry—wanted to stop people from talking about the boy-who-lived, it wasn't possible.

Even with the possible influx of commentary regarding her famous brother, Apollonia knew that things were definitely going to work out for the better. Harry was here, after all, instead of stuck at the Dursleys; he would have a _better_ life while living here with her. While he was living in such an environment, it appeared as if Harry was not getting treated as he should have. Apollonia grinned and looked at her brother. "So, how bad was living at the Dursleys?" Since she never met any of them, Apollonia wanted to know how bad they were.

Her brother shrugged. "Uncle Vernon was the worst; hated that I had to live with them and made his opinion very clear on the subject. _He's _the reason that my bedroom was in the cupboard under the stairs. Often told me I was a waste of space and didn't serve anything more. I never really understood why Aunt Petunia hated me—Mum was her younger sister—but I do now; she was jealous of the magic Mum had. And, Dudley; well, he wasn't completely bad. Dudley was only just starting to learn what _my_ role in that house was; that I was considered nothing more than a freak at Number 4 Privet Drive."

Their relatives sounded terrible. Though, it seemed as if Dudley was salvageable; his hatred of Harry was not as pronounced as his parents. "Dudley seems nice," Apollonia noted.

"Yeah, he was okay for awhile," Harry shrugged.

"Well, maybe there's a way to keep Dudley on our good side, prevent him from picking up Aunt Petunia's and Uncle Vernon's bad habits," the four year-old girl mused. After hearing about Grandpa Tobias's hatred of magic from when her father was growing up, Apollonia didn't want to see any more Muggles profess their loathing of all things magical. It helped that Harry was no longer a part of their lives, so maybe their aunt and uncle would stop teaching Dudley Dursley to despise magic. Since magic was no longer a part of their lives, it made no sense for Petunia and Vernon Dursley to continue bashing magic. "Should we ever run into Dudley some time in the future, we might be able to make friends with him."

"But, would he hate us because of our magic?" Harry asked.

Apollonia shrugged. She really didn't know what to expect if they ever ran into Dudley in the future. "I couldn't say. There's really no way to know," his sister admitted. "But, we might not want to focus on that right now. An encounter with Dudley could be years down the line when we've all grown up, so there was no point worrying about it. Right now, let's think about all the fun we're going to have over the years. With Dad teaching at Hogwarts, the two of us could have free reign of the castle. Imagine what we could do there."

"That _does_ sound fun," Harry nodded.

In one month's time, Apollonia and Harry were joining her father—and Dora—at Hogwarts. Being there with her brother was going to be fun. Harry coming here to live in the Snape household was definitely the best present in the world. Out of all that she got today, it was her brother's presence in the house that made her the happiest. And, she guessed it was the same for Harry as well.

* * *

**Author's Note: There were always a few aspects of canon that never made any sense to me. Such as why would Sirius Black return to the scene of the crime if he was the one to betray them? Wouldn't he have fled the country and make sure that he wasn't caught rather than giving his motorbike to Hagrid and confronting Peter? It made absolutely no sense. Surely Albus, Minerva, and Hagrid would have known that Sirius was ****innocent—even if he was the Potters' Secret-Keeper—and defended him; why would a criminal give away a possible means of escape? But no, he sits in jail for twelve years for a crime he didn't commit. Someone please explain that logic.**

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	4. Seven Years Early

**Chapter 4: Seven Years Early**

The addition of her twin brother to the Snape household allowed for the perfect distraction. August passed quicker than ever since Apollonia had Harry around. Whilst her father prepared for the upcoming year's classes, the siblings made arrangements to explore the castle during classes, when the halls were free of students. Since it was Harry's first time at the castle—and Apollonia had never been _allowed_ to do so before, her father instead preferring for her to remain under the watchful eye of Madam Pomfrey—exploring the castle seemed the best option. They had seven years to learn the castle before their own Hogwarts tenure began and it would not be wise to waste such an opportunity.

During the last term, Apollonia heard a few stories about a group called the Marauders. After Bill's owl from the twins was when she first heard the term, though the young Snape heard very little about them other than they were known for their pranks. Nothing more was said on the subject, at least nothing that Apollonia heard. If the two siblings learned all they could about the castle, it was possible for them to pick up where the Marauders—legendary as they seemed if students still spoke of them—left off. _That_ would be a noble task, to learn all they could about that castle and then use that knowledge over the years.

Their things were packed and gathered, leaving the siblings to talk for awhile before it was time for them to go. Over the last month, she and her brother discussed quite a few subjects. There only one that had yet to be mentioned: the houses. It was thanks to her father that she understood the houses. Now, Apollonia would inform her brother of the same thing that she was told. "Harry, there's one thing that you need to know about _before_ entering Hogwarts," Apollonia warned her brother. "It's important that you know of this."

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Well, because there are so many students, they are separated into four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each one of the houses prizes a certain trait: Gryffindors have bravery, Slytherins are cunning, Ravenclaws are studious, and Hufflepuffs are loyal. I tell you this for the same reason my father told me; he didn't want me to go to Hogwarts—whether for school or just to explore—and hear of the—oh what did Dad call them…I know—common prejudices against the houses." She took a brief pause to look at her brother; he seemed pensive, trying to figure out what more there was to this. Apollonia saved her brother the trouble and continued speaking. "According to Dad, Gryffindors are often known to be foolish and impulsive; Ravenclaws are extremely smart, but can also spurn help from others, thinking they know everything; and Hufflepuffs are considered to be weak and simple-minded, like they're in the worst house in the world."

"And, what of Slytherin?" her brother asked.

"Slytherin, yes," she recalled. "Well, Slytherins are in a category all their own. For the longest time—the past forty years, in particular—Slytherins have had the worst reputation, all thanks to a man by the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle. Riddle later became You-Know-Who, Lord Voldemort. The same with a lot of his followers. And, because of it, Slytherins have been considered dark wizards, even though cunning and ambition does not a dark wizard make. No matter what you hear, Harry, Slytherins _are_ perfectly good people. And, one other thing; there is a rivalry that exists between Gryffindors and Slytherins. Between the two of us, I think we can bridge that gap and see to it that the rivalry ends, especially since we're there for seven years _before_ our own training is allowed to begin."

While Apollonia was explaining the houses to her brother, a black figure appeared in her line of vision. "It seems I did the right thing in telling you of the houses," her father stated. "You may only have been three at the time, but it seems you understood what I said." The four year-old nodded. "Good. Now, let's get going, you two. We must retrieve Dora before heading to King's Cross station. And, when we do, please stay with myself or Ms. Tonks."

The siblings nodded and did as they were told. Last year when this occurred, Apollonia was only allowed to stay with her father. With not only Harry coming to Hogwarts, but Dora attending school this year as well, it seemed to soften her father's harsh exterior. In knowing that they would be together, he obviously felt better in leaving them alone; it was a definite improvement to the last few years. Upon arriving at King's Cross station, Harry asked the question that Apollonia knew was coming. "Where is the train?"

"Just watch," Apollonia grinned.

The raven-haired boy that was her twin brother nodded quietly as platforms nine and ten came into view. Harry eyed the wall between the platforms curiously, since that was where they now stood. "A wall?" he asked Apollonia and her father. "Why are we standing in front of a wall?" Apollonia could see her brother's confusion; she had done the same thing at one point. Of course Harry would do the same the first time this was brought up.

"This, Mr. Potter," her father stated, "is the barrier between the Muggle and magical worlds. Beyond this barrier is the Hogwarts Express. Which reminds me; for the duration of the trip, your disguise should be in place." Apollonia watched as her father placed the disguise on Harry; his messy black hair becoming a lovely shade of auburn and his emerald eyes darkened to more of a coal color. The lightning bolt scar that made him so famous faded away in an instant. "Only Dora knows what the disguise looks like. Only she will know who you truly are. It is best, Mr. Potter, if you have friends that like you, not for your fame, but for the person you are inside. This disguise should help you with that. It will remain only until the castle where I will remove the disguise right before the feast."

Apollonia, not wanting to wait any longer, grabbed Harry and pulled her brother through the barrier, allowing him to have a first glimpse of the Hogwarts Express. "Wow; _that's _the Hogwarts Express?" he asked, the _now_-coal back eyes glittering with excitement.

"Yeah, and we'll be riding it every year until we're seventeen," Apollonia informed him. "And, wait until you see Hogwarts. It's magical." Her brother's reaction to Hogwarts was something that Apollonia looked forward to all month; she wanted to know if the sight of the castle would have the same effect on her brother as it did with herself.

While her father came through the barrier, Apollonia spotted someone she recognized. Saying goodbye to his rather _large _family was Gryffindor Bill Weasley. After the stunt his brothers pulled, Apollonia definitely wanted to speak to them. Harry was at her side as she did. Aside from Bill, there were five other boys—one with a trunk that seemed to be attending Hogwarts this year; another who seemed a bit pompous, almost as he did not fit in; two identical boys that Apollonia knew to be the twins Fred and George; and a boy around their own age—and a lone girl, all with ginger-colored hair. The four year-old stepped up to the twins as they talked amongst themselves. "I must thank you," Apollonia said with a smile. "The day you two sent the letter to your brother was the funniest I had all year."

The twins turned to face her, matching grins on their faces. "And, what would a little girl like yourself know about a prank on our brother?" the twins queried, matching perplexed looks on their faces.

"I was there," she replied.

"You were there?" Bill Weasley asked, turning to them.

Apollonia nodded. "I was sitting up at the Head table with my father; I was only three at the time. But, I heard the whole thing from there," she told the eldest Weasley brother.

"How did it go?" one of the twins asked.

The young Snape smirked. "You've been compared to the pranksters that attended Hogwarts a decade ago," Apollonia told them. "I know nothing more. But, the teachers are dreading your arrival."

"Fred! George!" their mother scolded.

Neither Fred nor George seemed to listen to their mother's reprimand. They were two busy plotting for the coming years. Apollonia and Harry shared a glance; they would be at Hogwarts for all of the twins' years and would have a firsthand account of all that the Weasley twins would accomplish over the years. It would be interesting to see exactly what they came up with over the years. "And, who is this?" the twins asked, gesturing to Harry.

"My brother, Harry," Apollonia said.

Harry nodded. "We're twins."

"Ah, like us then," the other twin said.

"Indeed; however, they are not identical like yourselves, Misters Weasley," a familiar silky voice stated. Apollonia recognized it as that of her father, meaning he must have already spoken to Dromeda and Ted. Her father focused his attention on Apollonia and Harry, fixing a stern glare on the siblings. "Now, if the two of you would like to stay goodbye to the Tonks family, I suggest you come with me; they are getting ready to leave."

The siblings nodded and went to see the Tonks. Upon saying goodbye to them, Dora assimilated herself into the group and they boarded the train. "Harry, Apollonia, stay with Dora," the Potions Master warned. "I have some business to attend to at the front of the train."

While her father left, Apollonia and Harry followed Dora into a compartment and took a seat. "So, tell me; what are the two of you doing throughout the year? Anything planned?"

"Not yet," Harry stated.

While her brother and Dora spoke, Apollonia looked out the window, only to see two red-heads grinning at her. It seemed as if the Weasley twins were glad to hear of her opinion regarding the prank on their older brother. Seeing them at Hogwarts in a few years would be interesting. The same went for their reaction to her brother being Harry Potter. Since only Dora knew the truth, of the lightning bolt scar that was on his forehead, the students that ran into him on the train knew only that Harry was Apollonia's twin brother, and the Potions Master's ward. It was best for Harry—and herself—to have friends based on merit and _not_ simply because of who he was. The two siblings needed to surround themselves with people who cared not for Harry's celebrity status, but for personality. With the Weasley twins, that certainly seemed possible; it remained to be seen.

* * *

By early afternoon, the disguised Harry Potter had grown weary. Severus had not mentioned that it took all afternoon for the train to arrive at Hogwarts. And, to a four year-old, such a trip took forever. Dora had gone, instructing the siblings to remain in the compartment until she got back. Harry shrugged and followed Dora's advice, at least until he spotted several figures coming towards them. "Do you see anyone out there?" he asked his sister.

Apollonia nodded. "I can hear them too."

"So, it's not just me then," Harry stated. After spending time with the Dursleys, Harry often thought he was a little crazy. The way that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon treated him during the time he lived there made the four year-old boy-who-lived seem quite inferior to everyone else. It wasn't the truth though. Thanks to his sister, Harry was able to have a real childhood, not the horrid treatment he received during the few years that he lived at the Dursley. So, maybe the things that set him apart from his aunt, uncle, and cousin weren't so strange at all; it was just a way to set him apart from them. "What do you think it is?"

"Someone's there. Not sure who though," she stated.

"Shall we find out?" he asked.

"Might as well," Apollonia shrugged. "If we can find out who treats you like real person and isn't simply trying to mooch off your fame, that could make our own school years at Hogwarts easier."

Harry nodded, knowing his twin was right. Did he really want millions of people around him, insisting that they be his best friend? Currently, Apollonia was the only one whom he could truly trust; she was his twin sister, and not his friend simply because of the title he had; she genuinely cared for Harry's well-being. Before the shopping that occurred on his birthday, it was mentioned that Apollonia had to help in his protection. Would anyone _but_ his sister do such a thing for him? He doubted such a thing would ever occur. Only his sister was willing to aid in his protection, to help keep him out of harm's way.

The door to their compartment slid open; but rather than Dora, there was a ginger-headed boy dressed in plain black robes—a first year—standing in front of them. "Ah, so people were telling the truth; I thought it was a joke when someone mentioned that two little kids were sitting on the train, about as old as my brother, Ron. Seemed that what they said is the truth; the two of you really are sitting on the train." A flash of recognition crossed his features. "Oh, I know who you are; you are the two that were talking to my twin brothers, Fred and George, about the prank they played on Bill. They were rather surprised to know that someone _not _attending school found their prank funny. You made quite an impression."

Apollonia grinned. "Maybe they won't play pranks on us."

"You just might just get lucky," the boy stated. "It's rare that any of us get reprieves from those two. If you two can keep Fred and George on your good side, consider yourselves lucky. You two might be the only ones to never be on the receiving end of one of their pranks."

Harry had never seen the prank in question. But, if the two of them were serious pranksters, then it was best to remain on their good side. Apollonia watching the prank seemed to have been a blessing in disguise. And, speaking of disguises, it was time to test his disguise and find out precisely how well it was. "Who are you, anyway?" Harry asked the older boy.

The boy laughed. "Oh, yes; Charlie Weasley. Bill's younger brother," he informed them. "And, what of the two of you? Why are two little kids sitting on the train when they should be home with their parents? The school doesn't allow little kids to be running around the castle."

"That might be true in most cases," Apollonia argued, "but not for me. I have no choice but to call Hogwarts home for nine months out of the year." She held out a hand for Charlie to shake. "Apollonia _Snape_."

Charlie nodded. "Bill said your father is Potions Master."

"He is," Apollonia stated. "And he can be a real strict teacher too. You don't want to get on his bad side." She winked at her brother. "I'd say the best way to remain on his good side is to accept that Harry and I will be in the castle; and be nice to us. It will raise you up in his book."

"And, where's your mother?" he asked.

"Dead," Harry stated.

Charlie nodded. "Which explains why you're here," he realized. "You need to remain in the custody of your father, thus giving only the two of you access to the school _before_ you're eleven."

"Only one problem," Harry stated.

"What's that?"

"He's _not_ my father," Harry stated.

"You're _half_-siblings then?"

Harry nodded, exchanging a glance with his sister before explaining what was going on. "Still considered twins though. We were born the same day, with the same mother. The fact that we have different fathers makes no difference in the fact that we're twins."

"Yes, I suppose so," Charlie said.

"And, even if we don't look alike," Apollonia stated, "it's explainable. Harry looks like his father—quite a bit, in fact—while I look more like my mother with my father's hair color."

"I was about to ask that," Charlie laughed.

"Well, you have your answer," Apollonia replied with a small smile. "So, you might want to drop that. Our mother is a really sore subject. Neither of us ever really knew her; I lived with my father and, up until a month ago, Harry was with our aunt and uncle. And, even _that_ must never be spoken about. So, we'd appreciate it greatly if no one else hears this story, unless we give them permission to hear our life's story, however short it has been."

"Agreed," Charlie declared.

Once the siblings were on their own again, Harry shut the compartment door again and eyed his sister. "How long until he figures out the truth?" Harry wondered. The four year-old boy wished to know how long his secret would be concealed. Not many people knew who he really was; Dromeda, Ted, Dora, Severus, Apollonia, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor Albus Dumbledore, and a few other people; they were the only ones who knew that Harry Potter was coming to Hogwarts. And, it would remain that way for just a few more hours; up until the Hogwarts Express reached the castle.

"Let's see if we can make it last the week," she suggested.

"That would be fun," Harry agreed.

* * *

Harry's first glimpse of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was more than magical; it was absolutely mesmerizing. Apollonia was definitely right, the castle was amazing. He couldn't wait to explore the place to learn all the secret passages, all the wonders of this place. "This would be a great place to play hide-and-seek, wouldn't you agree?" he asked his sister as the two of them and Severus headed into the Great Hall. Apollonia nodded in agreement as they sat down and Harry's disguise was removed. "Maybe we should try that some time. It would be the biggest game of hide-and-seek ever conceived."

"Perhaps that should wait until you know the castle better," Severus suggested. "You would not want to get lost in the castle, nor would I like to see that happen. You two are four years-old, not yet old enough to fully understand everything about this place. I would prefer it if you stay in the dungeons near me or in the Hospital Wing. And, if the two of you stay together, I might permit you to go down to Hagrid's as well; I think Rubeus might want to see Mr. Potter."

"How come?" Harry asked.

"He was close to Lily and James," Severus replied.

If this Hagrid was close to his parents, Harry had no choice but to go. He needed to hear about his parents, about the type of people they were. This went particularly for his father; Severus could always talk about Lily, about his mother. But, James Potter seemed to be a sore spot for the man, meaning it was best to ask someone else; someone like Hagrid. "We need to talk to him," Harry whispered to his sister. "He could help us find out more about Mum and my dad."

Apollonia nodded. "First chance we get."

A few minutes later passed before a woman Apollonia identified as Professor Minerva McGonagall entered the Great Hall, leading about thirty students into the room. The siblings watched with interest to see where Charlie Weasley and Dora were placed among the population of students, as they would be the ones—in addition to Bill Weasley—that were informed of everything that was going on; they seemed trustworthy enough to be told. As such, the siblings would have to be granted access to whatever house they were in so everything could be discussed. It was the only way that this could work. "What house do you think Dora will be in?" Harry questioned of his sister, thinking she might know.

"Ted was a Hufflepuff and Dromeda was a Slytherin when they each went to school," Apollonia informed him. "My guess is Hufflepuff though; she seems nothing like a Slytherin."

Harry nodded. Though he knew little about the houses, he suspected that his sister was right. Dora was not the type of person to go into Slytherin; no, she seemed more like her father. That much could be said about Nymphadora Tonks after only spending a month around her. By this time, half of the students were already sorted, Dora and Charlie still among the small group waiting to be sorted. "Should we sneak down?" Harry whispered.

"Let's," his sister agreed. "It would make for an interesting reveal as to who you really are. Besides, I think Dumbledore has to make an announcement about that anyway. No one is allowed to know that you're here, not even the families of the students. Only those who we permit to do so—people like Dora—will be allowed to tell their family; and _that_ will only occur after a careful screening process." Apollonia started slipping away from the Head table, Harry following close behind. They appeared right by Dora just before her name was called.

"Harry? Apollonia? What are you doing here?" Dora asked.

"Just watch," Apollonia told her.

Dora rolled her eyes, obviously wondering what it was that Harry and Apollonia had planned, hair changing to a vibrant red as Professor McGonagall called out the next name on the list. It was _not_ a very pleasant room once the name had been called. "Nymphadora Tonks!"

Dora went up to the Sorting Hat, informing Professor McGonagall of something as she went by. "In the future, please don't call me Nymphadora. I don't like that name. Dora would be fine."

Their family friend took her place under the Sorting Hat and it did not take too long before the Sorting Hat shouted out a result, the one two four year-olds were expecting. "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Harry and his sister shared a glance before watching the remainder of the Sorting—Charlie Weasley went to Gryffindor like his brother—and Professor Dumbledore stood to make an announcement. The grandfather-looking man gave his lecture and was about to start the feast when he caught a glimpse of Harry and Apollonia. "Oh, yes. I have just been reminded; due to recent developments, Professor Snape has acquired custody of someone students might be interested in. Those in sixth and seventh year recall the incident around Halloween; yes, it is indeed: Harry Potter is here at Hogwarts."

Harry Potter grimaced slightly as the entire hall burst into a round of rousing applause. Several whistles sounded, including the now canary-yellow-haired Dora. "Yes, yes. You are all undoubtedly excited to see Harry Potter at Hogwarts," Dumbledore stated as the applause died down. "And, I am sure that you would like to tell your families about where Harry Potter will be the next few years. Our Potions Master, Professor Snape, has cast a spell on everyone in the Great Hall. Unless you are given permission by Mr. Potter or his sister, Ms. Snape—yes, Professor Snape's daughter for those who are wondering—you may not speak of the boy-who-lived's location. And, to my understanding, only one person has been given such a luxury. To all those who wish to try, good luck; you're going to need it with the high standards that these two four year-olds have. And now, to begin the feast."

"High standards indeed," Harry agreed.

"Yeah," Apollonia nodded. "Now, I believe there's a talk that must be had with the Weasley boys. They seem upset that we weren't exactly telling the truth earlier today about who we were."

"Might as well start with them," Harry stated. The Weasley boys seemed to be best ones to start with. Using their—and Dora's—help, the twins could start weeding out those who were only willing to be friends with them simply based on name alone, and _not _based on personality as it should have been. So, the siblings trooped over to where the Weasley boys were at the Gryffindor table, sitting down across from them. "I'm sure that you two have something to say."

"You could have mentioned that you were Harry Potter," Charlie informed them. "It's not as if we would have treated you any different. Although, what you said was the truth; Harry does look quite like his father and, to a certain extent, Apollonia _does_ look like Lily Potter."

"You just didn't know that I was a Potter," Harry said.

"Exactly," Bill stated.

"I thought it was funny," Apollonia admitted. "And, I think your brothers would find it funny as well; I'm sure Fred and George would get a laugh out of the fact that they were unknowingly talking to Harry Potter and his twin sister. Especially when it comes to them, I want to see their reactions to realizing that they were talking to the boy-who-lived and his sister."

Bill grimaced. "I won't be here for that."

"Too bad for you," Charlie chuckled.

Harry nodded in agreement. "My being here needs to be kept a secret. Since the twins are clearly fascinated by the fact that my sister watched their prank on Bill last year, they seem trustworthy enough to keep my secret. It's your parents, other two younger brothers, and younger sister that I'm worried about; I don't know if we can trust them."

"Percy, Ron, and Ginny," Bill stated. "They're eight, four, and three respectively, so I really don't know. "Percy might be trustworthy enough, but Ron and Ginny might be too young to understand. So, I suppose you want us to keep this a secret from even them, right?"

The siblings nodded, certain of what they were doing. "Speak of it amongst yourselves as much as you want. But, the twins shouldn't know until they start school in five years. When it comes to your other siblings, we don't want them told about this at all."

"Any particular reason?" Bill had to ask.

"I'm the boy-who-lived," Harry said rather pointedly. "Everyone would want to be my friend. I want friends who will treat me for being _just Harry_. I want someone like me for who I am, _not _the boy-who-lived persona. Thus far, I only know that my sister is willing to do such. I need to know that the people I trust aren't in it simply because I'm famous. I do hope you understand that." Harry and his sister shared a glance. It would be interesting to see how the students fared in accepting such things. Were they even capable of doing so, of treating Harry Potter like the normal boy he wanted to be? They would soon see.

* * *

**Author's Note: With Harry living at Hogwarts, it will give him a more unique perspective on magic; he'll have a better understanding of Hogwarts, the houses in particular, while he's living there. I can't help but wonder; how might things have changed if he were introduced to Hogwarts at an earlier age. Maybe things would have happened quicker, instead of taking seven years to accomplish? And, he might even have a few more allies. _That_ is something I will be addressing in the next chapter; Harry should have more people supporting him since he's at Hogwarts much earlier than expected.  
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